The worldwide phenomenon from the bestselling author of The Pillars of the Earth, World Without End, A Column of Fire, and The Evening and the Morning His code name was “The Needle.” He was a German aristocrat of extraordinary intelligence—a master spy with a legacy of violence in his blood, and the object of the most desperate manhunt in history. . . . But his fate lay in the hands of a young and vulnerable English woman, whose loyalty, if swayed, would assure his freedom—and win the war for the Nazis. . . .
Reticella work, carricmacross lace, princess lace, and other traditional techniques developed by lace-makers in Ireland, England, Spain, and other countries resulted in finished pieces of unrivaled beauty that continue to inspire needlecrafters. Now needleworkers can learn to make exquisite lace and net embroidery in styles that originated in the centuries-old lace-making centers of Europe. This volume is a classic guide to the single-thread-and-needle styles of lace-making: complete instructions and clear stitch diagrams explain how to make both needle-run and needlepoint laces. In sections of their own, tatting and Irish crochet receive the same clear treatment. Even the fascinating history of lace-making is covered in some detail, and excellent advice on the care of lace is given in conclusion. With this versatile sourcebook for reference, you, too, can create the special pieces of a lifetime: bridal veils, elegant gowns, shirts and blouses, shawls, scarves, curtains, table and bed linens. Among the lovely lace and net embroidery designs in this easy-to-follow guide, you'll find geometrics, florals, sprays, lovers' knots and other pattern classics. The lace-making art is not lost, just waiting to be rediscovered in this wonderful volume and revived in your capable hands.
This grand compilation presents more than 250 depictions of the alphabet's changing forms, from handsome Roman letters cut in marble and delicate English courthand to sixteenth-century Greek initials and modern styles inspired by Gothic, Japanese, and other forms of writing. In addition to its intriguing survey of historical trends, this book also offers richly illustrated reflections on the artistic ability involved in rendering the alphabet. An introductory essay traces the evolution of the English alphabet, followed by a wealth of old alphabets arranged in order of date. Among the selection of modern alphabets are samples that offer evidence of how the surface — wood, stone, leather, mosaic — and the writing instrument — chisel, needle, brush, stylus, pen — can affect the character of the lettering. An assortment of ampersands and numerals concludes the volume, along with an index of illustrations arranged by artist, country, material and process, and style. Artists, graphic artists, historians, and anyone with an interest in calligraphy will appreciate the historic sweep and artistic range of this treasury of lettering.
A page-turning novel that is also an exploration of the great philosophical concepts of Western thought, Jostein Gaarder's Sophie's World has fired the imagination of readers all over the world, with more than twenty million copies in print. One day fourteen-year-old Sophie Amundsen comes home from school to find in her mailbox two notes, with one question on each: "Who are you?" and "Where does the world come from?" From that irresistible beginning, Sophie becomes obsessed with questions that take her far beyond what she knows of her Norwegian village. Through those letters, she enrolls in a kind of correspondence course, covering Socrates to Sartre, with a mysterious philosopher, while receiving letters addressed to another girl. Who is Hilde? And why does her mail keep turning up? To unravel this riddle, Sophie must use the philosophy she is learning—but the truth turns out to be far more complicated than she could have imagined.
Most analyses of gender in High Qing times have focused on literature and on the writings of the elite; this book broadens the scope of inquiry to include women's work in the farm household, courtesan entertainment, and women's participation in ritual observances and religion. In dealing with literature, it shows how women's poetry can serve the historian as well as the literary critic, drawing on one of the first anthologies of women's writing compiled by a woman to examine not only literary sensibilities and intimate emotions, but also political judgments, moral values, and social relations.
This is a dystopian social science fiction novel and morality tale. The novel is set in the year 1984, a fictional future in which most of the world has been destroyed by unending war, constant government monitoring, historical revisionism, and propaganda. The totalitarian superstate Oceania, ruled by the Party and known as Airstrip One, now includes Great Britain as a province. The Party uses the Thought Police to repress individuality and critical thought. Big Brother, the tyrannical ruler of Oceania, enjoys a strong personality cult that was created by the party's overzealous brainwashing methods. Winston Smith, the main character, is a hard-working and skilled member of the Ministry of Truth's Outer Party who secretly despises the Party and harbors rebellious fantasies.
